Lu Bu's Puppet
by Breathe Easy
Summary: What happens when a woman with a hard shell and sense of humor gets whisked away to the land of her childhood favorite game, Dynasty Warriors 4! Seems like a bit of a problem, don'tcha think?
1. Twighlight Beauty

Lu Bu's Puppet  
Chapter One - Granted  
  
"Great! I'll see you in three days, Master." She heard Jeff snicker slightly, "You never call me that." She grinned back, "I didn't have to until today." Her shins were bruised horribly and her arms were painfully just recovering from being twisted behind her back so much. And to top it all off, pulling a muscle in her abdomen wasn't exactly all that enjoyable either. For one may see, today was her final black belt test. She was now going to be dubbed a Grand Master. Age of twenty-one and a Grand Master.THERE was something to be proud of.  
  
Metal clicked and glittered in the moonlight as she got into her car, placing her duffle bag behind the driver's side seat. It was such a beautiful car too. A sleek black Honda accord now surrounded her with the clean lemon smell of leather, the flamed steering-wheel cover, not to mention the three glowing dials. Yes. She was a street racer. Cops had never caught her, nor taken away her license. To many, that was a surprise. But she happened to be trained by the best.  
  
Prince was his name. And old flame from long ago had helped her along this road. Now, he was gone. First, he had been committed to CJC, the Colorado Justice Center. Then he died. Just like that. One sharpened pencil in the correct place had done it. He just disappeared. All she had left of him was the subtle fact that in the afterlife, a person who cares will watch over whomever they cared about. Perhaps he cared that much about her right now. Who knows? She never had the guts to tell him how much she loved him. He died when he was twenty. She was nineteen.  
  
Washing away the memory, her mind was again a clean slate. The thunder of her engine gave her mind color; and the speed gave it beauty. Watching as the lights flickered by, blurring the entire road into one large rainbow of shadow, A 7-11 was just made out through the thickness. The next thing, she was parked at the gas station about ten miles away. A 7-11 in downtown Colorado Springs. The Springs had gone downhill since the killing incident. A Springs Man, Eric Brian, had lured a girl, Holly Adams, to the eastern part of town. That was the one he was caught for. The rest.Well they took longer than most expected (three years), but they nailed him for each and every one. He's now spending life in prison for rape, assault, and murder on eight accounts.  
  
Placing the topping on a slurppie, she moseyed to the counter, digging around in her pocket for some change. To have to break her twenty would mean she would spend the whole thing tonight, and she preferred to keep that money for once. Clink. Clink, clink, claaaaaang. She watched a penny roll over the other side of the counter. The cashier had bent down to pick it up. Then the next thing he knew, the silver would glint into his eyes like he had seen so many times before. Two trademark guns were being held on both of the only people in the store.  
  
"Money. You know the drill." A gruff voice quietly said. Yet she didn't let the gruffness fool her. Intelligent and strong. Desperate. Very well known traits. She grew up with people like that. Prince was one of them. Two guns. The position of the man's feet lolled over in her mind for about twenty seconds. How he held his guns.sideways. How he gazed.nervously. And how he looked at her. Threateningly. That was it.  
  
A hand grabbed the Gunman's wrist, breaking it as she twisted it. What the twist for? One of the worst head butts he will ever receive in his life was the quick answer. Another crack. There goes his nose. In the meanwhile, the other gun was still swinging around to face her. She still had the other one. Twisting his wrist back, she flipped the barrel to his chest. And then.  
  
BOOM.BOOM.  
  
Her mind's eye grew curious. She only fired once. That's when the thought occurred. The tilt of her head made the thought truth. She had been shot.  
  
The world began to turn on its side and black film started to fill the edges of her vision. How had this happened? This wasn't calculated and wasn't thought of. Oh but it was, she began to realize as the Cashier bent over her, calling her name. ~Oh, James, I'm sorry.~ "Jade! Jade.answer me."  
  
~*~*~  
  
"What's our morale so far in this war?" Her head pounded. Her shoulder felt like it had been stabbed and her eyes. Well, she opened them in a matter of seconds. Snapping up, cold steel was placed at her neck. A thin blade was felt digging into the upper layer of her skin. Not enough to hurt, but enough to know that if she moved, he would surely kill her. Who was he? A tilt of her vision brought her eye-to-eye with her attacker. A tall man with the most vicious eyes she has ever seen. Dark eyebrows peaked which made him look like a villain from the southern boarders. His face was not full oriental. But the high cheekbones had given him a handsome look. Golden armor adorned his body. Such a beautiful weapon was at her neck. And such a beautiful man so close.and so dangerous.  
  
He had reminded her of Matthew Turner for the facial framing and Prince Batts for the eyes and the strength. He was everything she saw in the two loves of her life. But he was also what she feared the most. He hated her.  
  
"Take this one to my chambers. Since she's awake, she may able to tell us now from what side she is." His voice was deep and gruff. Sounded so familiar yet so far away from her. Still on the verge of blacking out, two hands lifted her. One by her good arm and one by the bad. Instantly, a high kick back loosened the grip on her left arm and freed her right. That which was hurting lay in a bandage, but then it no longer hurt. It BURNED! Fire gripped her eyes as she landed a backwards summersault.only to be seized again by the great.Man.  
  
Now her breath was shortened and her back straight against one of the soft wooden walls. His breath, however, smelled sweet of cherry blossoms and springs winds.even though it was winter. "Don't test me for I will kill you with no question. You attacked my Officer and that, in my books, deserves a death penalty. But.you seem a little too valuable to let go." The same two guards began to move towards her and he swung his weapon towards them, signaling a final halt. "Never mind. I'll take her myself. You two idiots are obviously incapable of it." They bowed without any looks whatsoever. And for obvious reasons. He was nearly crushing her windpipe.  
  
Diao Chan. She heard that name uttered from the man's lips. Of course. He already has a woman. How ignorant of her. They always do. Yet she surprised herself even more. Why would she want this man anyway? He threatened to kill her. That answer dawned not too long after the question. Matt. Prince.  
  
"You wear odd clothing for an enemy. The oddest clothing I've seen since the Nanman Territories. Why have you come to challenge my highest-ranking Officer, Diao Chan?" So that was it. He was a General. The hand grew tighter and she gasped, clawing at the unforgiving strength he owned. "Answer me." This one wasn't desperate. He was a leader. "I don't remember," was all she could tuff out.  
  
Next thing, she had landed on her bad arm, feeling the wound tear. Dear God, if that didn't deserved a quick yelp or even a gasp then she knew not of what did. She looked up as he sneered at her from the sky. That wasn't for long. Even the largest of giants can be taken down. And she did just that. A scissor sweep to the back of his knees and chins were enough to make him fall face first. He was quick.but she was always quicker.  
  
~You think you aren't strong now, but wait until you come across that one person who you can't seem to extinguish.~  
  
She glared at him for a split moment as he struggled to get a blow off before he and she got to their feet.  
  
~A rush.an anger will fill you half way; enough for you to know when to stop and when to go on.~  
  
He ran towards her as she backed away behind a desk that only went to her ankles.  
  
~Then, you will watch their eyes. If they flicker, so do you. If their arms move, so do yours. Never lose yourself.~  
  
There was a slow motion high strike towards her head. And in just the same way, she took advantage of being shorter. She bent her left knee just enough to miss his kick and to deliver one of her own. She caught him in the jaw. Crack. The jaw was dislocated.  
  
~And finally, you will either draw or checkmate. If you lose, you die. Consider your situation and choose wisely.~  
  
The General flew over the lower table. In order for him to turn around, he would have to roll off the table quickly. His armor was too thick to be twisted the way he normally could. Once he hit the carpeted floor, a deadly display sword was being held to his jaw. Her instincts were amazing. Slowly, a hand moved up to relocate the bone, giving the present of a quick and painful gasp. Then he gazed at her. Hate was still there. But now respect was added to the brew. His voice stayed the same.  
  
"Your name."  
  
"Jade."  
  
"Not good enough."  
  
She thought for a moment. "Jiyun Jade."  
  
"Ranking."  
  
"Unknown."  
  
His eyes glinted from getting narrowed quite a bit. She returned her own look. He smiled and tilted his head, "A worthy opponent." Standing, he was a good four inches taller than her. "How interesting." Jade shook her head. "I am neither friend nor foe." He interrupted, "If not friend, then foe." She responded just as quickly, "And if not foe, then friend? I don't think so!" Her mind drifted for only a second. Jiyun Jade. Sounds catchy. God, she loved having a quick imagination.  
  
They stood eye locked like two lovers in a starlight gaze.but this was twisted. These gazes didn't make sense. His was an orgy of hate and admiration and fun. Hers was spiteful, confused, and lost. Where was she? What happened to the bullet in her arm and where did these people come from? Soon her mind began to wander.and Lu Bu took advantage of that.  
  
Taking hold of her only wrist, she was unknowingly spun around. Her free arm trapped her right one, causing pain every time he put pressure on it. If she tried to lift her legs, he would only squeeze harder. "My turn to question." He had the right to question while he was down. Why shouldn't she? "Name." He merely stood quiet for a moment before administering a light shrug. "Why not? Lu Bu." He waited for the second question. "Year." He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She rephrased. Or she attempted to at least.It was hard to concentrate when his male cologne kept tickling her nostrils. "Okay.Area." "Wei Territory." And it dawned on her.  
  
She was at least 300 A.D or somewhere around that era. Jade was never really achievable at World History. But this also meant something else. She was in a game. ~Dynasty Warriors.SHIT!~ Oh there was no doubt in her mind that this was real. Recently, she ceased to dream, so there were no more dreams. This was real.and Lu Bu.He was the worst and hardest character in the game.but now that she was part of the game, it was up to her on which side she decided to be on. Every character she mastered in that game.and she knew every ending. Even Lu Bu's.in the end, everyone would be fine. But that was the end. As of this moment, The General had placed her on the floor next to the table that was only around five inches high.  
  
"So I take it you know nothing." Jade solemnly nodded. He gazed at her for a while, seeming as if he were trying to decide what he should do with this one. Jade had one more question. "How did my right arm become injured?" Lu Bu raised and eyebrow. Jade knew he could tell when someone was pretending or lying.or telling the truth. As he finished reading, he finally answered very shortly and simply, "I shot you with an arrow."  
  
Again they glared at each other. It was his turn to question once more, "What am I to do with you now? You are of no use to me. You know nothing of the other armies and even if you wanted to join, your arm is torn." She looked at him now with a look of seduction and animosity, a ready reply for every question he may come up with. "But.if you haven't noticed.I was able to take you down with one arm.how many people do you know that can at least accomplish that?"  
  
~*~*~  
  
He cursed at himself. She had a point. She was useful and from the looks of it, she was offering to join sides. Yet he couldn't be sure unless he put them to the test. Battle was the only way to do that. Battle. Could this one survive in battle? Sure.She could take him to his knees, yet she didn't seem ready to face fifteen people alone. ~Well.if she doesn't survive, then it's her loss and not mine.~ "Fine. You will be in the front line with Diao Chan and I. And you will be the one to lead right after us." He stood, the Royal Cape swaying gently behind his step. "We'll see if you can fight as well as you can boost." From there, he left her to her thoughts. Placing his own two bodyguards at her door, he gave her his chambers for the night. Let her enjoy her last day.  
  
"CHAN!!!" The bellow echoed through every hall of the building. Wherever he was, Diao Chan was sure to be close by. And soon enough, as if on cue like a rainstorm, came the butterfly Officer. She bowed softly. He knew she was much tougher than she looked. Yet without her Maces, she seemed pale and fragile. That would be one great underestimation as her foe.  
  
"Diao Chan. There is a woman in my personal chambers. Dress her tomorrow for battle properly. Make sure her arm is secure beneath armor. If she heals quickly, she may be of some use." Damn it, another female Officer. How much will one General take? He watched as the only woman he will ever trust jogged down the hallway. She didn't have that type of giddiness that most girls had, but she was still female. And she was good.  
  
He walked into the guest room that had recently been prepared for the arrival of Liu Bei, but he had never showed. He simply sent a messenger with a letter, declining every request respectfully. He had beliefs that did not match Lu Bu's. And the General respected that. Not many men would have shown up and it was no surprise that he did not. But, this one, Liu Bei, was indeed a warrior. They had never met previously, and they will meet on the field tomorrow.  
  
He sat along the soft furs and silks that covered the floor, gazing at the picturesque paintings that adorned his room for the night. But he was not thinking about the room. He was thinking about his new puppet. A small grin crossed his face. She was a fiery person with a type of past that no one here seems to know of. Perhaps her father died in battle or something of the sort.to have those kind of eyes, something horrible had to have happened at least once.  
  
Hmmm, dark brown hair that had been well taken care of had made him think, at first, that she was the daughter of one of his defeated enemies. Perhaps Zheng He or Zhang Lao. But no, she had no idea who they were. And her eyes.well, those eyes had made him think she was a ranking Officer, but no, she had no idea of that too. So where she came from was the question that was on his mind for that night. Then it occurred to him that he had never asked. He checked the time out the window. Daylight was done and dusk was finding itself disappearing as well. Perhaps.surely, she was still awake.  
  
Relieving himself of his armor, he left his chest showing. It was a hot summer night and it was hot enough all day with his armor on, the nighttime armor had to go. More often than not, he would walk around without anything to show for a shirt. Most of his did that anyway, so why the hell shouldn't he? Making sure his sash was tight, considering he had almost lost his pants today but means of that woman, he strolled down the halls. They were empty. People were either in their rooms, reading, writing, or doing something; or they were out and about the town, enjoying themselves before battle. As he thought, a window overlooking the nearby population had lights and music wafting through the air. Hmmm a festival. He wasn't the festival type, but for a fleeting moment, it sounded enjoyable. Back to business. His own quarters weren't but two steps away. The floor creaked and the door was flung open. She was indeed finding herself falling in love with the display weapons. He had to leave all of that in THAT room, hadn't he.  
  
She spoke nothing as she shook her head and re-sheathed the weapon, placing it carefully back onto one of the racks. "First you shoot me, then cure me, not to mention attack me.now you disturb my sleep?!" She looked at him with an expression of disbelief. It was quite annoying, but humorous at the same time. "What's wrong with you people?!?! Ever heard of Zantac or.weed at least?!" He looked at her plainly and she shook her head, "Men." ~Women~ He thought just as sarcastically. "I had a question to ask you." She dismissively waved a hand and he silenced his quick temper for just a minute. "Where do you think you come from?"  
  
She looked at him. It was a look of confusion and it was indecisive. He figured she either 'didn't know' or she was pondering whether or not to tell him. Finally, she came up with an answer. "I come from Colorado Springs, Colorado. It happens to be in the future AND oh! You want to hear a funny part? Some guy was robbing a store that I was in, I tried to stop him and I was shot! With a gun.Not an arrow. So now I have no FUCKING idea what the hell is going on, but I do want to know one thing." She was obviously distressed. He never heard a female go off like this. "WHERE the HELL are your BATHROOMS?" He continued his blank look to her and merely pointed to a window. "Out the window, look down to your right." She did just that and seemed to slump down. "No indoor plumbing?" He shook his head plainly, "No." He turned to leave and glanced back to see her gazing out the window at the stars. He almost believed her but it was also somewhat obvious. She had lost her mind.  
  
Later that night, the entire camp was asleep. Except for him and one other person. Her. He was watching her smoke the common tobacco of his land like she was trying to smoke it all in one night. Indeed, it had been a rough day, but one shouldn't over do it. From his window, he watched as she sometimes looked at the stars.then sometimes she would watch the town, still glowing from the ongoing party. On the ledge, she was all alone. It looked like she was used to that. Perhaps he would put her out of place by joining her. She fought well enough and he had a few more questions to ask before he couldn't go to sleep.  
  
As he approached her, she hung her head as if she already knew who it was. Turns out she did. "What? Am I not supposed to be out after dark for fear of 'enemy army' approaching? Or is it the fact that I might run at any moment? And if I do run, where the HELL would I go?!" This was riding Lu Bu's patience, "You talk to your captor as he were any common folk. Let me reiterate on whom I am.I am the one that could order your life to end at any moment. To have two armies bearing down on you, a single person, would most certainly mean death. Watch your tongue." Her shoulders relaxed and she shook her head, "Whatever." He had finally won that argument. Standing next to her, she merely looked out and never at him. She had no need to. It would only make her want him and hate him at the same time. At least that's what he figured. He had enough women though. But this one. This one was from a place he had never heard of and her look was totally different from the women here. She was different and, therefore, desirable.  
  
"How did you learn to fight so well?"  
  
"Kung Fu Shao Lin classes. Three-hundred dollars a pop. Finished yesterday."  
  
"Dollars?"  
  
"A type of money."  
  
Again, he looked at her as if she were crazy, but hey, what would someone expect from a woman who wished to begin a fight with Diao Chan? Of course she were a little insane. Yet, perhaps she was capable of beating Chan. "Then how did you get here?" This set her off on one of her tangents again. "Ya know?! If I knew, don'cha think I'd be going home right now?!" He bit his tongue on a response. People get distressed. Even he has been that way before. Normally, though, he hasn't come across anyone this bad until now. He took a seat. Perhaps standing wasn't the best position right now. He watched her as she glanced to him with this look in her eyes. Tears were welding. God damn it. Yet he was so curious, he had to ask.  
  
"And you are mulling over what?" She shook her head quickly. "Nothing. I just miss home." He replied ever so perfectly. "Someone like you doesn't miss a home and works with the new one." She sighed and laughed. "You would know from what experience? You look like you're doing well enough." He half glared out into the darkness. "Yes, but I have no home. Why do you think my army is camped out in Wei Territory?" No response came and when he glanced at her, she had her head in her arms and was shaking badly. But there was no sound. She had done this so many times before. It reminded him of a torn child. Perhaps she was, at heart. This wasn't his thing.  
  
He stood and placed a hand on her should. She twitched, suppressing a jerk evidently. "Get up and go to bed. You need sleep, not tobacco." She quietly stood and turned to him. He looked down at her with his normal expression. Angry yet plain. She quietly declined. "I wouldn't be able to sleep if I wanted to. YOU, on the other hand, should go to bed. You have a battle tomorrow." He looked at her a bit more common, "I don't sleep." On that note, he turned on heel, heading towards his room; his own room; his chambers and sat to polish his blade. He never retired and neither did Jade. 


	2. Echoes

Lu Bu's Puppet  
Chapter 2 - The Last Meaningfully  
  
The next morning was eventful. A woman with baseball sized hair curls on top of her head and a beautiful pink dress that one would only wear to a costume party on Halloween was there to greet her on top of the cliff. It was around perhaps three or four in the morning. The moon was setting and the sun had yet to arrive from the other side of the world. "Come. We have work to do." It was a nasty, snobbish tone that Jade never really put up with, but now wasn't the time to choose favorites. She stood, her arm having a bit of a numb feeling now. At least the pain was residing.  
  
That night, she had figured out why she was here. Perhaps life was giving her a twist and all she needed to do was finish the game. But she never liked playing Lu Bu as a character. He was always so ruthless, not to mention he made it so easy to beat the game. Much less, she hated playing Diao Chan because she would always boost so much and not have much to show for it. But hey, this is where she ended up and this is how she will deal with it. A game was a game, but now, it was life.  
  
Her feet started to become slightly moist from the morning dew clinging to the ground, grass cooling sore soles. If only it could cool her temper. Chan walked so slowly. If they had a lot to do, well then Goddamn it, she should move her ass! The men began rustling around in their rooms and lights began to flicker faintly. Soft footsteps echoed through the halls, for the hallways were made like that. No one could shift through the halls without someone hearing. Wei builders had talent. Jade had to admit that at least.  
  
In a room, Jade heard the door slide shut. The next thing she knew, bangles and a sword were issued to her as well as leg and shoulder pieces. She felt like a football player. A breastplate secured her arm. Great. That would weigh her down. It was made a later goal that the plate had to go by the time of battle. Diao Chan stood back and grinned with her own delight. Jade looked like a dork. Wonderful. Arrows and a bow weren't issued to her for good reason. How she supposed to aim anyway? With her teeth?  
  
Lu Bu opened the sliding door and glanced at her. An amused look was plastered along his face. Maybe later she could wipe that way with her sword, but until then. He nodded to Diao Chan and she followed him, which left Jade to her own thoughts. Now what? Sure, she knew the game but they never showed the intervals. The parts you never saw were the early mornings, the trainings, and the fucking beginnings. She had to keep repeating to herself that everyone would be fine and dandy. But it took effort and she didn't always win the first time around on the game.  
  
The morning horn sounded and she began her work on taking off the breastplate. The rest of her would look fine if she didn't have that damned piece of metal on. It clanged to the floor loudly, and she had doubted that anyone had heard it. Feet were pounding and echoing so hard that she felt like she was in a never-ending thunderstorm. The paper-thin door slid open and she watched as the halls filled with more and more soldiers.  
  
This was real history, she knew, but as a dropout, she never really learned China history. Fuck! School really does pay off. Knowing very well that some things weren't really how China was, she kind of figured that it had to be somewhat a dream. Morning horn? Probably from the movie of 'The Last Castle'. Sliding doors? Definitely from 'Monsters Inc.' But still, everything felt so real and so.life.That she just couldn't resist the idea of this being her new beginning.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
They stood along each other, bows strung along the backs of the higher- ranking officers, swords placed in a position that made everyone pretty much look like a clone of each other. Not a sound was made above the light breathing and rustling of the horses. Slow winds began to quicken their pace as the two scouts returned. Word of the other army advancing carefully reached Jade's ears. She was fairly close to the front line. And it was just her.alone.  
  
~Dear Lord, I pray that you will give me strength, agility, and luck. Lend me the courage to defeat my enemies and out-live the dying. Give me justice. Amen.~ Prayer never hurt anyone. She always put in pleas to the Lord about her survival. Not trusting the fact that she felt like she was just using up oxygen on this world, her prayers always gave her a bit of reassurance. It was as if they gave her the hope to keep going on. With out hope, no one wants to live.  
  
Dust stung her eyes; the sun's morning rays gave her a soft feeling along her cheeks. Morning. Her most hated time of day. Whoopdiefuckingdoo. It had been dry that summer from what she could tell. The trees long limbs drooped and the leaves, though green, shriveled slightly from lack of hydration. Even the weeds couldn't function very well. Only patches of cacti flourished throughout the area they were in. A horse rustled beside her. Evidently, even the horse could feel the heat of the oncoming battle. Great.  
  
"Diao Chan will take the east while I take the west. The rest of you head the middle. Anyone left out may do as they want. If you are caught fleeing, you will be struck down. Onwards!" Those last words made her wonder why these men followed him. If they were denied the chance of safety when they are at life's end, wouldn't they desert this General? She knew that she would, given the choice. But now she was with this army. Any other armies would think she would be a spy and would kill her on the spot. It was like being around gangs all over again.  
  
Men began to push by her. She then decided it would be a little safer to follow the flow. Boy, was she wrong. Enemy soldiers began to appear on the horizon. Since they were against the sun, it was hard to see what was coming down and going up. Next thing she knew, battle was happening all around her. Men had either tripled or paired off to one another. A horseman was striking at people on the ground until an arrow to the armor knocked him off. Another arrow whizzed by her face. She yelped and fell backwards, only having one hand to break her fall. A man began to charge her. A foot flew up to catch him in the stomach. He doubled over. The same foot caught him on the jaw and he fell back. She quickly got up and began to flee. Then she stopped dead in her tracks. Diao Chan had an arrow aimed at her. ~Fuck!~ Turning around, the man had recovered. Rubbing his jaw, he merely glared and ran with a yell towards her.  
  
~It's a game. Maybe there won't be any blood.~ Her sword flew in every which way, him blocking each. Finally, she was able to get through his barrier and caught the inner left side of his stomach. She watched as he doubled over and croaked. Something warm flowed over her hand. She carefully let him down, looking at his face. It was one of pain.then nothing. Her hand.it was painted red like the sunrise, liquid form coursing over her arm. And the blade.it was beet red, glinting in the light. Then dust clung to it as she dropped the weapon. Surprise and sorrow flew over her face. She couldn't breathe. She had taken a life.  
  
Obviously Jade didn't have that much time to dwell over it. Another man came at a charge.and another.and another. Soon, she had been surrounded. Evidently Lu Bu had ordered a temporary retreat from that area and she had lacked the attention to hear it. Men snarled and growled and she slowly knelt. Taking a knee, her dirty hand found the dirty blade. She was now scarred for life. Now, she had no choice. This was different from the man in the store. The man in the store wasn't fighting for something he believed in. These men were. And she killed one who had courage. Luckily, God was with her.  
  
One attacked her from behind, swinging the blade crosswise. Her left hand flung up and blocked it with a loud clang. The man then took a foot to his abdomen. That pushed him back and knocked the air out of him. Another one came from behind as well as one from the front. The right foot that was still in the air swung behind her as her left arm struck out with the sword. Another life. The man from behind flailed back and charged again, this time with two other companions. She took a leap back and stepped on one of the swinging swords, taking that moment to slash at the other twos' faces. They both fell. Two more lives. Soon to be one more to the batch.  
  
Just as she took out the man with the trapped blade, and pike landed her back and knocked her on her stomach. That drew a quick yelp as she landed on her right arm and tore the wound. The pain wasn't something to dwell on, for if she did, she would soon dwell on why it would be so dark. Death did not frighten her. What did was the idea of her parents crying over her lost life. To see them at her funeral was not acceptable.  
  
She rolled onto her back and blocked the sharp end to one side, receiving a nasty cut along her cheekbone. She winced, but that was about all she did. Rolling backwards, she did a somersault behind her and landed in a kneeling position just as the pike swung at her right. Enemies did know how to expose a weakness. She turned her sword so the blade was pointing downward and blocked it. Then she flipped the blade so the tip of the pike went safely over her head. Finally, she struck out and caught the man in his stomach. Soon the blood and death didn't bother her anymore for that day.  
  
Luckily, and quite unexpectedly, a horseman came up and struck down a man she didn't hear coming from behind. The horse's hooves held sharp talons, pointed upwards. Golden plates crossed the horse's side as well as the top of his snout. She sighed and stood quickly, catching the rider's face. It was Lu Bu. Did he come to her rescue for a purpose? He did. The whole army charged then, eliminating the other troops easily. At least he trained them well.  
  
There was quick glare from the General before he dispatched to go and attack the other opposing General, Liu Bei. Maybe she should listen to orders more carefully next time. Taking right along with a captain's team, she charged on the right hand side of the crowd. The rest of her battles were a blur. Someone from behind.take them down. A losing friendly in sight.help him. An officer.attack without mercy. From here on out, it wasn't moral anymore. It was survival.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
In the mist of battle, Jade was able to calm a horse and mount it. So now, she was riding a white stallion home. It belonged to someone else. Someone with no name.but that didn't bother her. What did, and it happened to be the usual, were the faces she encountered. Shellshock. There were so many ways to die that day. By sword, bomb, magic.yes, magic. A sorcerer, she saw, was on the field that day. He died by blade.but he killed by power. She knew for she was struck with one of his blows. It felt like lightning. Her whole body came down with a seizure and her eyes felt numb. Limbs gave out and the pain in her arm ceased to be the worst. She felt her chest heave and heard her heartbeat. That was pain.  
  
Now she was sore, tired, traumatized. The men she killed had hope in their eyes. Then the hope died as their heart did. Slowly. It was like killing a tiger. The great beast dies a slow death in the zoo when taken from the open. The wild in their eyes fades after a few years and they soon lose their drive. Some are different though. Some grow angrier. Hopefully, she would never meet someone like that. But perhaps she already has.  
  
He was riding about thirty yards ahead. He looked as if he weren't fazed a bit. His head was high and his steed was dry. Most of the horses here were soaked from panic and stress, but that was normal. Even the best of trained horses still panicked.just like soldiers. But those two were different. They seemed calm and smug. Of course! A battle won is a great accomplishment. But to take so many lives into the palm of one's hand and crush them.how can someone be proud of that?  
  
That had reminded her of her Prince.her only Prince. They were once sitting on the front porch of his home, watching a MP drive by, receiving the faint flicker of red and blue off the adjacent buildings. The smoke from her cigarette seemed to circle the sky before being whisked away by the soft breeze. "You know." His voice had broken through the silence. It almost disturbed her for it was a comfortable silence. "What?" She replied softly. She felt that if she raised her voice any louder, it would break a soft window or something of the sort. When he replied though, that just shattered her opinion of him, which was worse than any window. "It's great to have someone's life in your hand.and either help them succeed or destroy them. The funny thing is I can be proud if it either way."  
  
That night felt like so long ago. So many years had passed.though it was only like three years. Yet he still felt so vivid in her mind. His kisses still tingled on her neck and his side of the bed still smelled of him. How had he left her so quickly? Just the way she may leave her dependents if she didn't make it through this.  
  
"You fight well.for a gimp." All of a sudden her temper flared as she glared to a man riding a horse next to her. He smiled slightly and she shook her head. "Lord, when will the teasing cease?" She hung her head in a comical way, which caused the other man to chuckle. "Oh and you're not very good at making up names." Her head snapped and she gave him a sideways look, stupid grin written all over her. "Jiyun? Doesn't make sense. Though the name Jade suits you rather well. You look like one I suppose." His head tilted back for a moment.  
  
Jade studied him. From the side he looked like a pirate-gone-good, proud eyes and stance on his horse. He had worry lines as well as both smile and frown ones. He had wisdom. Finally, someone she could perhaps learn from. "Yes, Jade does suit you. Especially the Red Jade." She gave him a look. He smiled. "The stone jade comes in many different colors instead of just green. There's also white and red and a few other rarity colors. I gave you the Red Jade because of your temper. Ponder it for the night." She didn't have to say a word and already she had learned something. What a man! If only he were a bit younger.damn it! All the good men had to be grown!  
  
He smiled and again, not a word was said between them for the rest of the journey home. It was only a half hour ride, but it felt like hours. While he was riding next to her, she had a very slight smile on her face. Finally, someone she can be comfortable around. It was like she was gathering knowledge through his silence. It made her almost totally forget about the men she had murdered. Not man-slaughtered. Murdered. ~Oh Lord, please forgive me of my sins and be understanding in this situation. Please give me the strength to go on. Either way, I will forever be your humble servant. Amen.~  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
When Lu Bu's army finally reached a safe place where they may call home, tents began to pitch up and bonfires raged in contained areas. The sake was brought out and the hard wines were unpackaged and placed among the men. Lu Bu himself rather felt like staying in his tent to ponder the night's wins and losses. What would he do now that the war was over? His life lay with battle. And who was there left to conquer? No one was his answer. He glanced at all his war strategies scattered across his tent, the thin papers ripped in some places with spots on them where he had spilt his drinks. Oh yes, even the mighty Lu Bu had his mistakes.  
  
"General?" His eyes snapped up to an approaching soldier. The look was deadly. "What?" The man slowed himself, a bit afraid of what might happen to him. Lu Bu sighed, quite tired of the too-scared-to-talk clique. "Well?!" The troop gave a quite ahem and reported his business. "I have come to report the death count, sir." Lu Bu glared and shook his head. "Idiot. Why would I want a death count now that the war is over?" The soldier began to shake. The General would have hit him if he weren't too pathetically fatigued to get up and move. "Just get out of my sight." He heard a quiet 'Yes, sir' and the rustling of his tent flap before he finally found himself alone again.  
  
What was there left to do? Then it dawned on him like an early morning breakfast. He still had the unknown. Obviously, she was nowhere near his race and she wasn't someone who knew of him, so therefore, she seemed like something interesting to prod tonight. "Soldier!" A man rushed in and stood. He was indeed one of his trusted bodyguards. Never left his side. "Bring me the Unknown, Jade." The man nodded and rushed out of the tent. Finally, he will see what this young woman had to offer besides her skill and that.mouth.  
  
There were indeed a few things the General had figured during the battle. She had never killed like that before. Reports from Diao Chan told him that she had tried to run during the first few minutes of battle. Even though Diao Chan did not have that much of a liking for her, she commended her bravery in war. Combat styles that were seen rarely around China had been exerted during this particular battle. She was a find indeed. But there will always be that mouth.  
  
Finally, the Unknown became the Drunkard as he watched her come stumbling into the tent slightly. She plopped herself down and placed an elbow on his table. She smelled of stale wine. "What's up? I heeerrrrd you wanted ta seee me!" He raised an eyebrow at his bodyguard and the man just gave him a sign. Obviously, she's been drinking herself into a nice little cove of Drunkenness. Great. She was an alcoholic too. Though he couldn't very much have doubted it either. Yet he had believed and continued to believe that Sake was the way to a drunken fool instead of a drunken master. She.may be an acceptation. Jade sighed and laid her head on her arms. Or she may not be an acceptation.  
  
"Sit back." He snorted as she straightened her back and hung her head behind her. "Head up." Wearily, she pulled her head forwards and squinted. The General gazed at her and shook his head. "You've been drinking too much." He watched as she waved a hand and grinned, tilting her head to the right, "NAAAaaahhh..." Two of her fingers came together a bit. "Just a little." Oh.sure. "So.what exactly is your name?" Jade smiled and leaned forward. "It's Jade. Jade Kier. But I think you Chinese people would pronounce it Kier Jade, since Jade.is my first name an' all." Hmm.what a strange name. "But anyways! Say, why're you always grumpy all th'time?! It's s'like you never get any!" This made his temper flare into a blazing aura. "Getting any? Any of what?"  
  
The sound of her laughter made it even worse. "YOU KnoW! The pink! Women! Get yo dick wet like a sloppy joe!" Lu Bu was almost amused. Almost. She was so blunt, that it made him sick. Women shouldn't be allowed to talk and he now knew why. What's wrong with the women these days? Then there was a clatter as she tried to get up and walk out side. She ended up on the ground beside a broken bottle. Luckily, it was right outside his tent. He shook his head and stood. "Soldier. Clean that up." Picking up her dead weight, he had to wonder about her. Why someone like her would drink herself stupid? Especially on a night like this.  
  
Perceptibly, he had no idea where her tent was arranged. So inside his tent she went. She was valuable, yet if she kept this up the way she had this night, she wouldn't make it past next spring. He covered her in fur and felt her neck. Still warm and normal. All she did was drink herself out. A night's rest would do the trick. Yet during that night, he only slept for two hours. Most of the time he either studied his war strategies and diagrams.or watched her. She was beautiful. A jewel indeed. Yet so were a lot of women. Diao Chan was the most beautiful in his eye. Now she had a competitor.  
  
Jade stirred and Lu Bu stilled. Evidently, the women even had reflexes in her sleep. A good trait to have when one is around people of his sort. The night had fallen and he felt useless. He no longer needed that trait. All the battles, training, and defenses were no longer needed. His war days were over. Sure, there would be perhaps five or six men that would sneak into his camp and try to smother or murder him in his sleep. But he never slept. Not really, at least.  
  
What was he to do with this girl, now? He couldn't kill her. She could come in handy. But in the mean time, she was useless. She needed rest because of her few injuries. An almost twenty-four hour battle had occurred and this woman only rested thrice. To add, each time was only an hour. Nasty cuts littered her body and one, fine tipped cut lay under her right eye. How she managed that, the General couldn't tell. Jade's arm was healing nicely and tomorrow the bandage would be removed. It had been observed that she had moved her right arm enough times to be able to have it stretched and exercised once again.  
  
How would Lu Bu benefit from keeping this one around? He would be soon to find out. 


	3. Short and Sweet

Diao Chan sighed and looked at the sky from the distant hill along the sweet berry bushes and the pink blossom trees that grew wildly along the area's backside. Everlasting dark blue was cracked here and there by the gray clouds, which had brightly colored underbellies of orange and red. The war was over. What was she to do now? Her life was like a rising day, bringing with it all the might and power of the sun. Now that it was setting, was she, too, supposed to set?  
  
And what of her Lu Bu? How was the mightiest warrior of the land handling the conquer of all enemies? There always was the Nanman territory of the south, but they seemed like a small challenge compared to their armies. Meng Ho as a King was somewhat foolish in battle, always putting himself on the front lines and never having the common sense to retreat when it was needed. Yet he seemed to maintain a formidable army. Then again, there was really no point in attacking the Nanman. For the first hand, they would greatly be disadvantaged because of the heat and humidity. And for the second hand, the Nanman Armor was indeed tougher than their own armor. Still, she had the guts to bet that Lu Bu would crush them in the end.  
  
Her Love was forever studying the tactics of other war generals and masters, placing into his knowledge more lethal information. Even now, she could bet that he was doing just that. His weapons nicely polished and spick would lie at his right and left side, the war plans and strategies skewed about him, and having his place looking like it had its own war. Tonight was the only night they would be spending outside. Workers were rebuilding the Imperial at this moment. It had been destroyed due to battle. Tomorrow was the day they would begin the maybe three or four day travel home. Home was where the heart is, right?  
  
And what of that woman? What of her home? Did it exist or was she full of lies and deceit just to stay alive? It kind of reminded her of herself when she was under Dong Zhuo's rule. Life was horrible then. But now it would become boring. As for the girl...Well, she couldn't stay in Lu Bu's good graces for long, could she? Yet when Chan had fought this stranger, she would have almost been defeated if it wasn't for Lu Bu's arrow. And she was beautiful, Chan had to admit sadly. Such a rarity around these areas was always thought of as beautiful, and this 'Jade' was most defiantly a ruby. A ruby made from fire. Then again, all fires need a life, she almost lost hers. Perhaps a bit more water or dirt might do it. Then Lu Bu will find no more interest in a corpse.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Zhang Liao had to tilt his head at the sleeping wonder. How did someone of her size finish off so much sake? Three bottles had to be the camp record. He'd bet that Wang Fei would be fairly angered at having his own record of two and a half beaten by a female...but really; Fei couldn't do anything about it now. This sleeping beauty was Lu Bu's new pet. A puppet. Though she was the General's new plaything, she didn't seem to have any strings. Authority, to her, had to be challenged. To be her principal would mean beating her at her own mind.  
  
He looked away from her as he stood and left the tent with the quietness of night. Silence covered the area, save the crackling of bonfires going in certain places of the camp. Obviously, Lu Bu had decided to leave the area and sweep the near by forest and fields clean of any lingering enemies. Crack! A twig broke. A weapon was drawn. Clang! Lu Bu's Sky Piercer blocked the sword as Liao glared for a moment. "Your reflexes are still intact, my friend." Liao sheathed his weapon and relaxed, nodding. "Indeed, Sir."  
  
They began their walk back from the edge of the camp, heading toward the main clearing, finding only a few men up and awake. One was cooking a piece of meat for a late night snack and another was playing softly on a homemade flute. These were the men that could finally be awake and relaxed. The rest could now sleep. The war was over. Liao had to continuously repeat that to himself as he walked. No more fighting. No more deaths. No more sorrow.  
  
"What of the woman?" Liao's thoughts snapped rapidly out of their train of thought. "She is sleeping well, Sir. Shall I wake her?" The General thought for a moment, narrowing the space between his eyebrows until they knitted together. "If she wakes, which she should in about an hour, brew her a cure for her hangover and send her to me. I want to see of what other use she is than battle." The General left. Liao shook his head. He could never read that man. Perhaps that was a quality...or a deadly disadvantage for him.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Jade sat in the airy spring tent, watching the flames dance on crying wicks, listening to a dying flute on the wind, and feeling the touch of warmth from the moon. This Lu person had every comfort imaginable here. She only dreamt of such things. A night outside curled up next to someone who mattered. Or as a little girl, it had reminded her of the summer nights that that littered Colorado weather. Her mother and father would set up a tent, placing each pin perfectly into the soft soil. Mink blankets and fluffy feather-down pillows would be placed around the inside. Being an only child had its benefits. She would be able to feel the thump against her arm from her mommy's heart. The vibrations from her mommy's talks would soother her to sleep. Such great memories were what kept her alive. If only she were still close to her mother.  
  
"I see you have recovered." Lu Bu had strutted in with a chest full of bulk, footsteps left on open dirt. There were perhaps only three small places that had dirt showing. The rest were adorned with rugs and sheaths of cotton in colorful designs. The small coffee looking table this time had silked like material draped over it like clouds over the setting sun. He sat on a ruby colored pillow, his weight barely putting a dent in the stuffing of the cushion. "Welcome back from the drunken world," he snuffed at her. She merely shrugged and continued to look up at the stars through the plain orange-pink see-through material. Why should she care if she never makes it home? ~I'm probably dead~. If she dies, she dies. So what? People will get over it.  
  
"You are starting to wear my patience thin, warrior." Quickly, her head shook violently, her ponytail (which was sloppily tied by one of the guards) swinging just as hard, "No, don't call me a warrior. I'm not." The thunderous growl neither phased nor startled her. Just another yelling from her father is what it seemed like. "So then what should I call you? Princess? Majesty? Or how about war goddess?" His eyes were hard, but they were brown, like a doe's eyes. How could that intimidate her? A light smile cracked her relaxed look, "My mother used to call me Princess Bubble-Butt."  
  
Obviously, Lu Bu couldn't say a word for a moment. He just stared at her with a reddened face. He looses his temper quick! "Are You Mocking Me?!" All she did was just roll her eyes and smiled, "No. Why would you think THAT?" Then there was silence. Nothing but a very calm being smiling towards an intelligent one with no patience. It seemed that they were at a draw. Neither one had anymore to say really. The warrior king cleared his throat and sat, glancing across his table again.  
  
"Maybe I should just kill you. Sentence you to execution."  
  
"And your point would be?" She watched his eyes flow over the grace of her arms to reach her own touch of sight.  
  
"There is no reason or fright in you. Why?"  
  
She replied evenly. "The same reason that there is none in you either."  
  
"And how would you know if they are similar reasons?"  
  
"Nothing to fear."  
  
Well she would be damned if that didn't defuse his temper for the moment. He glared and said something that sat on the very few buttons she had. "Or perhaps you would be of use to my men. They have not seen their wives or concubines for about three to four months now. A good woman would greatly reward their efforts in battle." She saw him relished in the scrunch of her nose and the ice in her eyes. "If you want your men to return home AS men, maybe you should leave me out of the picture." Just to smite him, a smirk of her own had ghosted her lips. She noticed him shrug, "Or perhaps I will make you my concubine and guard."  
  
Now, honestly, that idea didn't sound too bad to her. She would become indispensable if she were to live here and never go home. If she held on to that position long enough, there would be time to smite him during slumber. Not to mention she would gather the sex greatly missed in her life. Yet, the idea of becoming a killer in cold blood did not suit her. So Jade held her tongue and glanced back at the stars.  
  
"Where did you acquire such a calmness? Considering I have said less to lesser people and made them shiver with tasteless fear." Her eyes smiled at him, "My father. He taught me a lot while I was in High School. I never really took his advice until now." Gazes locked. He, for once, owned nothing in his eyes besides the pure empty. Yet something sparkled. She merely smiled, seemingly having not a care in the world. How could he be angry for so long, she slightly wondered. How could anybody be that angry and sad without have killed themselves yet? Yet the proof was sitting right in front of her, staring her back.  
  
"My Lord," came a voice so familiar from the tent flap. It was Liao. "The dawn comes. It has barely broken the horizon. Wake the men?" Lu Bu nodded and waved a hand to Jade. She gave a single laugh and left out into the crisp morning dew. Mist wafted through the air and kissed her cheekbones and eyes. The ground still held the heat from the yesterday, so her feet became of the warmth and shifted softly in the hunter green grass. 


	4. Idiot's Guide to How to Fly

Lu Bu's Puppet – Chapter 4

Idiot's Guide to How to Fly

The entire world shined in Jade's eyes as they crossed over the long grass down to the bottom of a rather large hill. The Sky laughed as She gazed down on the travelers, expanding Her horizon to no end, drawling out Her sweet blue tendrils to envelope their small sizes. Father Time quickened His pace throughout the day, leaving hours behind, letting them seem like minutes and minutes but moments in the world. The Heaven and Earth were right and all was calm. Or would have been were it not for the Wind. The Wind decided to let it be known that She was not to be unannounced and thought invisible. She whistled sweetly in the ears of men, cooing Her forbidden fruit and succulent taste into their minds, wooing the horses into a steady, uneventful walk through the beautiful scenery. All this, though, was horribly boring to Jade.

Scuffing her feet along the sides of mountains from atop her horse and picking out grass blades as they trotted across the land did not tend her mind, as she would have liked. She tried a bit of swordplay, but ended up embarrassing herself when she dropped a perfectly good sword down the side of a ravine. Luckily, only one soldier witnessed this account and agreed not to tell anyone in exchanged for her homemade comb. Jade agreed. Now she was without a sword and without anything to do but pamper her horse. Combing his hair with her fingers gently as they walked, he began to make slight sounds of comfort, keeping his pace nicely. She patted him on the side and lowered her head down towards his neck. A thought of fun then occurred to her.

Rubbing his side, she cooed in his ear, "Let's fly. What do you say, boy?" She did not get a response but decided the poor animal needed some fun. Digging her heels into his side roughly, he reared and took off down the path, beating the sun-bleached gravel to dust as she flew by His Majesty Lu Bu and his right hand man, Zhang Liao. Oddest couple she had ever seen was now looking at her flank as she left them to choke in her wake. They were flying through the fields, lifting over the bumps and rocks that littered the road. She felt her body slowly lift and time slow down when they were in the air. It related to floating in space, lifting easily out of the saddle and into the sky. Then after coming down, slamming into the saddle for more of an exhilarating ride was more than Heaven at that moment. Then she heard him.

Rounding a corner behind her, here came the commander in chief, Lu Bu, on his trusty steed, the devil in his eyes. Jade took it the wrong way however. She believed it was an open challenge. Down the path they sped, Lu Bu gaining considerably fast on hers. She pushed her animal of burden even harder, believing in the poor thing so much that she could actually win. Jade soon found out that she was sorely wrong. He came up on her right flank, looming into her eyes with his emerald stones, knees high and close to his chest, reigns held close to his torso and his chin nearly sat on his horse's neck. She heard the panting, the rubbing of the saddle, the breath of him and the animals, and she felt her heartbeat. It was a race of romance to her.

Dust flared in the setting sun, the clouds painted her eyes in the horizon, and she felt the Wind in her hair and through her chest. She gave a lasting smile of authority for staying an inch ahead of the handsome competitor. Suddenly, the smell of cherry blossoms distracted her. Ahead lay a field that caught her thoughts in a tight bind of Lu Bu. It was spring and the wind that blew softly over her back. Then, she lost control. Her foot slipped through the entire opening of the stirrup, her tennis shoe preventing her from pulling it back. The painfully sharp edges cut into her ankle and her leg dangled from being over stretched. She panicked. His long arm then reached over to the piece of reign that was close to the horse bit and pulled…hard. Her steady and exasperated horse skid to a stop along with his. Jade looked to him like a child who had been beaten in contest and then humiliated into sadness. Her freedom was over.

With some clangs, he clamored expertly from atop his horse and assisted her foot out of the stirrup. Lifting her from her saddle, Lu Bu placed her on his animal and climbed behind her. Holding her stomach, he led both animals back to the marching army, speaking only a few words, "Because of that act, you will be riding with me for the rest of the trip…No one has ever beaten me or my steed in a race." Her heart sank and she enjoyed the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck. He smelled exactly like their surroundings. He smelled like the sun. "We will acquire a better horse for you to ride later. You may have some use there." There was light at the end of every road after all.

For the rest of the trip, she was quiet and it was uneventful. A few hills and a few forests littered their paths, but for the most part, it was still and peaceful. Jade never felt more content. Lu Bu kept his hand on her abdomen, holding her close to his chest. She could feel him breathe, feel his heartbeat, feel his warmth, hear his movements, and just picture his expression. Daydreaming consumed her for the rest of the trip. Jade also had one fear in the back of her mind. What would happen when night fell? Her last minute is always her worst.

Eventually the boredom took her over and she into a deep sleep rocked by the constant movement of riding and lulled by his deep lungs and comforted by his presence behind her. Jade let her head loll backwards and lean herself into his arm. Soon she dreamt of a romance so rich that she could not breathe and had to take deep breaths just to keep herself from fainting. Yet in the back of her mind, she knew he would never do any such thing. That was how Matt was. He never hugged her without a meaning and never just kissed her because she was his. Prince would, but Lu Bu did not have that trait from him. His attitude was all Matt and not enough of Prince. It was a sad world when a girl could not have one simple thing that she wanted for so long…romance. But after a while, she decided that it didn't exist anymore and it was only fantasized about and portrayed in movies. This dream world was her home away from home. Whenever she woke up, she never wanted to move and stand for the day. Sleep was more inviting.

Her dream faltered for just a second. "She's flat lining! Charge the pads! Give me two CCs of …" Her eyes opened for just a second to see Diao Chan ordering Lu Bu around. Everyone was dressed in paramedics out fits and she was looking up at the ceiling. Zhang Liao was in the driver's seat because she heard his voice mention that there was a hard right approaching. Sounded just like him. She smiled and her world went blank again, only to end back up in the world where she was Lu Bu's queen and she was to be admired.

He watched her curl into the crook of his arm and shook his head. She was like a child sometimes and he felt his temper rise as if he were the parent to a disturbed little one who drank too much and didn't know what battles to pick and which to let go. Then sometimes, the great Lu Bu actually felt belittled by her; as if she were Heaven and Earth and he was just an angel to be ordered. She was calm and content at that moment, quiet and serene with little interruption. He could not help but pity her in her stupor of herself. She would withdraw when she felt threatened and lash out at any hand that would try to feed her, making it very clear she could take care of herself. But it was also obvious she wanted something, and she has been deprived of it for a long period of time…perhaps years. Diao Chan had nothing of her integrity. What she wanted, she got. It has never been any different since they were kids. Well, this time, perhaps it would be different.

When dusk fell, he ordered all of his men to halt and set up camp. It was a time where leniency was not to be tolerated; yet he could not help but take a few breaks here and there himself. Supper was calm and all was well with the world, accept for two things. Diao Chan and Jade were still at each other's throats. They did nothing the entire day but complain about the other. Chan also grew the courage to confront him about 'her' affecting their relationship. Lu Bu had the feeling that their 'relationship' would have gone downhill anyway due to Chan's constant need to be desired. If she were not wanted by anyone, her life would end that very same day. She was the cat that picked a fight with a rat instead of a mouse. A very large rat can hold their place against a predator of her size, and would therefore become evenly witted. He predicted that this fight would be endless and legendary.

Night arrived and the moon rose above the tree line to shine down upon their camp, conflicting with the firelight and white ground. He sat on a nearby rock and looked over the running water of a river, as if to supervise that the water ran right and the rocks that weren't to move never budged from their indents in the ground. Yet what was on his mind that night was not water or rocks or even the idea of being superior. As of that moment, he heard her voice shout aloud that she was the queen of drinking in the camp and had proclaimed Wang Fei as her right hand man. Oddly enough, they had become friendly drinking buddies and had not been separated since the beginning of the night. Men cheered.

Suddenly, Lu Bu made a resolution, one that would change their relationship forever. He stood with all the determination of a predator, breaking twigs and marching with a purpose. Crashing through the underbrush and out into the open to rain on her parade. "Jade!" He watched her wearily look up at him and smile, "Yes?" "Follow me." He began to walk and heard her greedily grab a bottle of sake and follow as quietly as she could. Through his tent flap, she followed him and stood in front of him, wavering from side to side as he sat behind his table on a throw pillow. "I have decided to tell you what everyone thinks of you. Seeing how no one has yet, I have taken up the undesirable job." She sat down and placed the bottle quietly on the ground next to her, looking at him as if she had no idea what was to come. "What does everyone think of me? I would really like to know." Evidently, she wasn't as far-gone as she seemed. She slurred but still understood everything she was saying. Lu Bu grew hard and his face set itself with a steely gaze. "You are crazy, arrogant, and the only time anyone likes you is when you drink yourself into a stupor. That way they can laugh at your antics and stupid jokes. Basically, they laugh at you. Granted, you are a very good warrior, but that cannot set aside the fact that everyone thinks you are a clown not to be taken seriously. Diao Chan despises you and so do her followers – half of the camp."

He watched her swallow hard and lower her eyes to the ground in thought. "Thank you for letting me know of these faults of mine. Evidently, I have sorely mistaken the entire time of my stay here. Excuse me." Lu Bu nodded and glanced back down at his desk, beginning to straighten his papers as he heard her slowly pick p the bottle of drink and left his tent as quietly as she came. Suddenly, a feeling hit him, one he hasn't felt since his younger days. Regret. He stopped in his movements and watched the table. Perhaps not everyone thought the way he had explained. Perhaps he was just working off of his frustration and Chan's thoughts.

The flaps of his tent re-opened and in waltzed Diao Chan, a light smile of contempt plastered across her lips, her eyes glimmering with enticement. "Good way with words," she said as she lowered herself beside him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she rubbed her way underneath his clothing, leaning forward to temp his mind, "Perhaps now I can relieve your frustration." He sighed and turned his head away for only a second until she lit a fire with her fingers. The tent flap closed outside and a soldier stood in front of the entrance.

The rest of the night was lonesome. Diao Chan left afterwards, leaving Lu Bu alone to ponder their night together like an expert concubine, though she was nothing of the sort. Yet all that was on his mind was the regret he felt for his words. His furs and his pillows and his soft rug did not comfort him like they normally do on a summer night. His pride hurt because his conscious hurt. Lu Bu was not used to this kind of pain. He called his guard. "Yes, Sir?" "Find her." The guard became confused and quietly asked, "Diao Chan?" Lu Bu shot a glare and corrected him. "Jade, you idiot! Find HER!" The guard apologized and rushed away.

Little did he know that she was not to be found until the morning. She had gathered herself a few more bottles and drank herself nearly dead had she not thrown up most of the liquor then passed out from fatigue. Little did Lu Bu know that she had not desired to live, nor die, but to sleep for the rest of her life in quiet dreams and short stories of romance. Such romance did not exist to her, but neither did unicorns and Pegasus. It was always fun to dream.

He lay awake, receiving the news that she was no longer in camp and a two-mile wide search had been sent underway. He waved a hand dismissively, knowing that she would not spend the rest of her time in the camp. His nerves were on end and he could barely breathe. Sleeping was out of the question and he couldn't think of a plausible explanation as to why these symptoms were troubling him so. Then it dawned on him like the first day of winter. A chill ran the length of his spine. He was worried about Jade. He wanted to know if she was all right, if she was alive, and if she was healthy. To have her die over his account was going to be unacceptable. He continued to worry.

When she awoke, she found herself in a sheer light red tent with the flaps drawn and a warming coal heater by her side. The sky was dimming and Jade estimated it to be around the time of five or six in the afternoon. Slowly, she pushed herself up, a headache pounding her back down. An aging man slowly lifted her head with expertly soft hands and poured warm, not hot nor cold, into her mouth very slowly, the mint extract cooling her senses and the scent giver her a little relief from her headache. He lifted her upper body and leaned it against a heavy piece of black covering and cushioned for comfort. The blood that had collected at the back of her head from lying down so long bean its way to other part of her body in her lower region.

"Is this a dream?" Her question seemed not to faze the physician. He spoke lithely, "Nope. I'm afraid this is reality." She chuckled at his choice of words considering where she came from. He voiced the rest of his information for her. "Evidently, Lu Bu has been worried about your health, coming in every hour or so to check if you were still breathing. You were near death when we found you." She didn't exactly doubt his words and she pulled herself up further to a better upright position. "So are you here to keep me company or just take care of me." He smiled as he turned to hand her another cup of mint green tea, "I believe I am here to do both, ma'am." "Good to finally have actual company." He nodded. That was all she needed. She requested that the flaps be opened and for some tobacco and papers to be delivered to her. The guard at her side made haste in bringing those items as the physician thought a bit of fresh air would do some good and opened the flaps.

"Lu Bu held up the entire army and told them to take a day off because of you. He did not want to take the chance of the trip making you sick and having you throw blood out of your system." She assumed that meant that she was to be lectured and jailed or something of the sort. Her answers were soon to come forth. In walked Lu Bu to see her smoking a cigarette and sitting up in bed with her knees to her chest. The physician nodded towards him and slowly stepped out side behind the giant of a man. He merely stood looking towards her, and she couldn't help but look away and continue to blow smoke out her nose. He knelt slowly and sat cross-legged across from her. It was a quiet standoff for about two minutes.

Finally, he reached over and took her cigarette, helping himself to a few drags. A small glance told Jade to smile slightly, twitching only one side of her mouth to produce the smile she needed. He nodded back and took another drag. She broke the silence, "So I supposed I caused some trouble around here." "Not as much as you may believe," Lu Bu said lazily, leaning backwards onto a pillow. The flaps closed and a guard stood in front of the tent. She tilted her head towards him and gave him a look. "Are you trying to seduce me?" He gave a slight chuckle, "I don't have to try very hard. You already have exhibited all the signs." Jade rose an eyebrow. "What signs?" "Well, you seemed comforted when you rode with me for the rest of the travel a few days ago; you breathe deeply whenever you are in my quarters – Diao Chan does the same thing." That remark almost lowered her spirits…almost being the operative word. He took in more smoke and breathed it out in a finale, "And you look at me the way you're looking now. I may be a General but I was a young boy once and I did have an interest in females." She continued to look at him with her heart on her sleeve and her twitch of a smile grew wider. "Oh really?" The cigarette was extinguished.

Zhang Liao leaned backwards against a tree and watched the men play by the blazing bonfire, lifting smoke above the trees and into the void beyond then disappear in a gust of wind. Music played and the men smiled and laughed, enjoying a brew of chicken broth and bread, leaving large crumbs for smaller animals to clean up. There was nothing to worry about tonight. Perhaps, though, he spoke too soon as he watched Diao Chan settle herself beside him, curving a thick fur around her shoulders. She was a beauty tonight. Her hair lay in honey locks around her face, framing her petite body. Enemies would clearly under estimate her, judging her size to be all she is worth. She is worth much more.

"Good evening, Liao," she buttered to him, leaning on his shoulder. He smiled at her and placed an arm behind her head to give her comfort from the rough tree bark. "Good evening, Miss Chan. How are you?" He heard and felt a rush of air enter and leave her in a wisp of content only a cat would have, "Never better." He hugged her close and gave a small smile of approval, "That's always good to hear, girlie. How is Lu Bu?" "An angel that fell into Hell and lived to tell about it…in a most comfortable way." He chuckled and held her close to his side. "So why are you here with me, an old man, instead of with that dashing young stud? I am but an advisor." She laughed and sat up a bit to look at him, "Liao, you're the father I never had. Don't be so modest." They were quiet for a bit longer and he placed a kiss on top of her head, rubbing the side of her cheek. She spoke, "Will Lu Bu desert me for that Red Gem?"

Liao was a bit taken back by her words and replied with another question, "Do you want my opinion or do you want statistics?"

"Statistics AND your opinion."

"Well, statistics predict that he will find an interest in her because she is a rarity and beautiful. It doesn't leave good odds for you, but you have been with him since you two were little. I watched you both grow to become fine warriors. That will weigh heavily, so I would think it would be a fifty-fifty chance between the both of you."

"Go on with your opinion." She was eerily calm about it. What was she up to?

"My opinion, however, is he will choose what he feels to be the best for him and will head towards his heart. She may have a piece of his soul, but you confine the rest. Have faith, he will come back to you without a question."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The night grew darker as clouds passed by and the bonfire died down to a large flame. The men had passed out where they were with their drinks still in their hands and with weight off their shoulders. The two warriors sat together for a bit more, star gazing and falling into sleep. "You know I was going to extinguish her flame before your words tonight, Liao." He nodded and replied in a half awakened state, "I know, dear." "So then why haven't you said anything to stop me? I know you are fond of her." "Because I knew I could change your mind." They fell into sleep.


	5. Goodbyes SUCK!

Lu Bu's Puppet – Chapter 5

Goodbyes SUCK!

The next morning was bright and colorful. Dawn came with the shade of purple and red, yellow the tint of the sky and orange reflected off the horizon. The air smelled of sweet dew and cherries. A light scent of breakfast wafted through the air and tickled her nose, sending the irritating feeling of hunger vibrating through her stomach. Heaven seemed to be right above her as clouds covered the sky, letting patches of light through breaks. Her tent was within a ray of light, waking her from the rest of her lazy sleep in the subtlest way, as if the Sun were trying to give her a nudge into consciousness. She didn't dream last night. She didn't have to. He was still next to her. He still had her waist in his arm, cradling it as if it were a child's security blanket. Unfortunately, the roar of her stomach woke him slowly. She had a smile in her eyes and a light grin on her face as he slowly woke. The arm moved from her body and stretched, elongating his body elegantly. "So…this is how it is to wake next to someone."

Jade was astonished. "You've never had anyone sleep with you the entire night? They get up and LEAVE?!" He looked to her with a face that spoke only two words, 'Yeah…So?' She shook her head and laid it back down, swinging an arm over his stomach, toying with a ridge in his abdomen and running her finger softly over a slight scar on his side, "I can't believe that after all this time, you don't know how it is to wake up next to the person you interchanged with…for lack of better words." He continued to stare at the ceiling, replying evenly, "Diao Chan always leaves right afterwards. She never stays for more than a few moments in which she uses to stand and dress." Jade grabbed part of the cover and sat up to look at him, making sure her upper body was covered correctly. "Okay, like I told my ex, YOU need boyfriend lessons."

"And who is this boy that is your friend and why does he need schooling on how to be a companion?" Jade could see Lu Bu was getting confused and frustrated. She explained quickly.

"Never mind the boyfriend concept. Never talk about your other engagements while with other women. Never mention anything about me when you're with Diao Chan. She'll grow angry and hateful and seeing as how I am leaving soon, I don't have a want to fight for your love. I found what I needed."

"You aren't going anywhere." He lifted himself into a standing position and pulled up a tent flap to tell the guard to bring some breakfast and green tea. The guard hurried off. She looked at him as he gave her an angry and disappointing look while he recovered himself under the furs. She smiled and explained her reasoning. "There is a morale to every story and my morale has been discovered. I think I am supposed to help you find yours before I go." He grew furious. "I don't need help! I will never need help! How dare you insinuate that I would be in need of assistance in ANY aspect of my life?" Jade nodded and lowered her eyes to the ground with a look of dismay and a short fuse, "Fine."

He stood and left with Jade watching his beautiful back tense into knots and stress marks. He was an amazing lover, knowing exactly where to touch and skim, knowing how to entice and provoke. His best feature was the knowledge not many men or women possessed. He knew how to kiss. He knew where to kiss. He was perfect. His arms were strong and held her closely; his fingers, though rough, were everything she thought they would be. He was rough when wanted and sensual when needed. He pinned her down the way she loved and caused her to have chills when he entered her core. It resembled a wet dream brought to life. It was a fantasy that lasted forever in the fruits of her mind. There was only one problem – he wasn't real.

Jade truly believed that she was in a state where her mind had been traumatized so much by what her body had been through that she had inadvertently created an alternate reality, real to no one else but her. The effects would wear off and everything was merely a psychological game. Believing she had already found herself, she could not leave this Heaven until other figments had a happy ending as well. So, Jade continued deeper into her separate thoughts, looking for the truth behind everything. Coming to no conclusion, she had no choice but to wait.

Standing within her tent, a rush of energy engulfed her and she grabbed the closest clothing near by, dressed herself, and traveled off to find the closest pool of water. Outside of the tent, it was quiet and men had disappeared into the closest town, looking for awkward tasks to be done for folk in order to earn a bit of change for the bars tonight. Tonight was not to be spent in camp, but in a recreational cabin, drinking sake and speaking of war battles and wounds to women, marring true stories into fiction and creating a glorious battle of valor. She did not disagree with their decision.

Walking past trees and underbrush, she found a wide part of the river where the water was calm and there were sounds that a normal forest would have. The water was fairly warm and her clothes fell to the ground. She left the foot she tested the water with in a shallow end of the pool, soaking her sores away as she slowly put the other foot in. Finally, her entire body sifted into the water with ease, adjusting to the temperature and letting go of the tense feeling in her legs and back. The surface broke and water rippled down the river, slow moving as it was. The serenity of all of her surroundings calmed her nerves and quieted her spinning mind, massaging her scalp with small air bubbles that became trapped in her hair. All was calm for only a few moments. Diao Chan appeared from the bushes.

"Chan," Jade acknowledged. She nodded back, "Jade." There was a bit of a stand off as they stood, one floating, staring at each other. Finally, Jade realized she no longer had anything against the Asian Beauty and invited her in. Being an advent swimmer, Jade had no worries of being drowned by Diao Chan, knowing that if she could out maneuver anyone back home, she could surly out maneuver Chan. Diao Chan dropped her robe and slowly made her way into the water, letting a sigh of relief escape her lips. Jade smiled and spoke quietly, thinking if she spoke any louder, the serenity would break like an expensive, elder piece of glass jewelry, "You love him, yes?"

A bit taken back by the jump into the subject, she answered simply enough, "Yes. I do." Jade looked down at the water and floated for a bit. "If you do, then you should stop leaving every time you guys do it." Chan became astonished, "Why would men committing an indecent act have anything to do with the General and I?" "Heh, you two are made for each other. I meant every time you engage with Lu Bu, I am told you leave soon afterward. Stay next time. Don't rush off and leave him wondering what it would be like to have a woman's companionship all night. He needs you. I have bigger fish to fry." Diao Chan merely looked at her and produced a half-forced smile, "I will do that." "Good."

The rest of the swim was spent in silence. Jade did laps from side to side and Chan flexed burnt muscles and sore tendons. It was pleasant, to say the most. Jade thought about ways this reality would end and how God would bring her back to real life. Perhaps a leftover enemy soldier would come and kill her or maybe she would fall asleep and awake in a room with white lab coats and a ventilator sitting beside her. She was soon to find out.

An undercurrent caught her foot and swept her under, delaying her ability to breathe. She could feel Chan's hands brush her fingertips before being swept farther away. She didn't expect Diao Chan to risk her entire life to save her. That would be stupid on her part. In a few seconds, she felt her lungs ready to implode as they took in water, preventing her from breathing any kind of air. The world started going dark and she saw her first memory; her father scaring her on Halloween with his deadly "claw" and a mask of a ghoul. She saw her first love, Prince, smiling at her and kissing her cheek with all the softness in the world. She saw her second love, Matt, and a rose he had handed her on their first date at the mall. She saw her mother, laughing at her old baby stories and pictures, being the kind of mom that kept your cute pictures in her wallet and not leaving any room for much else in there. She saw her last love and their lovemaking, Lu Bu. She loved him. Yet he was a figment. He was a perfect man to her. A project that needed doing and she indeed completed it. Happy endings went all the way around. Now, it was time for life to continue and for her to return to the real reality from whence she came. Now it was time for earth to return to her. Everything went dark.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"Now she will. She gave us a scare when her heart went into arrest, but we brought her back and she should be regaining consciousness between now and tomorrow morning. Your friend was lucky. The bullet only grazed her heart. A little further and we would be looking at a corpse. Her lung will eventually recover. She needs to rest. You can stay with her now that she is in recovery and very stable."

"Thanks, Doc."

Jade laid there in paralysis, unable to open her eyes to see whom the male voice was, but she had a good idea. James sat beside her, taking her hand in his and kissing the top to her IV, letting himself down onto the side of her bed and closing his eyes. She opened hers very slowly, the lights dimmed and a small candle shaped light next to her. The room was quiet and she felt the same injury she felt in her 'dream', only a lot worse. It was as if a hot iron had been inserted in her wound and jabbed itself all the way through her side. A small glance and a bit of movement told her that she was naked under a hospital gown and had stitching and a bandage over a bleeding spot in her chest. He continued to hold her hand.

The doctor had said she was 'very stable.' What's the difference between stable and 'very' stable? She was fine. Sure, pain will always hurt and blood will bleed, but he said it himself. She was fine. Jade really believed that to be true until she tried to move. The same pain that she felt when she first arrived at Lu Bu's doorstep shot through her, except it was multiplied twice over. She winced and made sure that she didn't wake James. He let go of her hand and she pulled herself to an upright position. That hurt a bit more, but not enough to make her scream. That type of pain was bottled inside of her chest, making her unable to breathe right or think clearly. Matters of love never really bothered her for the last year or so, but her own mind rekindled such memories very clearly.

Jade leaned back and looked around her room. The desks were empty and no flowers sat beside her with balloons saying 'get well,' and there were no cards on her nightstand. Just an empty tray of hospital food sat to her right along with a phone. Jade had lost Matt's number long ago and there was no point in calling the correctional center of Colorado in Cañon City. Prince hasn't been there for years.

Her chest grew tighter and it felt as if her heart shifted downwards about two inches, signaling the dashed hopes that consumed her. Lu Bu was gone. It was as if she had lost another love to the raging sea of emotion and prejudice. Her mind's cry for help nearly killed her spirit and that man – the desperate bravado – from the 7-11 died because of her. Everything hurt. Her chest, her heart, her head, and her soul were in dire need of consolation. All of them were receiving what they needed, except one. It writhed in pain and cried constantly, never giving itself or her a time for peace. Yet, her soul was never able to actually gain her attention until now. This traumatic episode triggered her 'not in Kansas anymore' type of reality that was really just a time where she was in space and no one was there to comfort the injured spirit. Regardless of the technicalities, she still missed him. She missed his smell, his eyes, his cherry blossom sent, his tent, his room, his voice, and his love. It hurt like hell to lose the man you love to another woman. But it happens, and there is usually not much to be done afterwards.

James awoke and looked at her staring back at him with emotions blinking over her face in flashes of lightning. Forced smiles and twitches of her lower lip gave everything away. She broke down in his arms, imagining them to be someone she loved, where ever he was and whatever his name is. They stayed that way for a long time, Jade letting him cradle her the way she hasn't been held for years in the past. She cried over everything. She cried over being shot, over Lu Bu, over how she fell in love again just to lose him again, and over the most important thing in her life, unrecognized until now – herself.

Days went by and she slowly recovered with physical therapy. She began her teaching career being a karate instructor, learning little ones how to fly above all their problems and fears. There is the great saying by someone whose name she has forgotten: "Those who cannot do, teach." As a part time martial arts instructor and a full-time cop, time was greatly and gratefully consumed in work. She woke around three o'clock in the afternoon and went to her master's teaching studio to work until eight or nine o'clock at night. Then afterwards, she would pack up and bid farewell to her worried teacher and head to back to her apartment. Showering her first few sores away and re-dressing for work, she grabbed her issued jacket and headed out the door, driving to the police station where she was looked at as a person to be felt sorry for. She knew it. She was given her other set of keys and never really spoke in depth to anyone else about the incident or anything else for that matter. Then she would leave and patrol the streets for the entire night, responding to house calls and speeders, domestic violence and break-ins, and she would do it with grace. She had begun the first faze of her own personal hellish recovery.

Around the three-week mark since the incident, she received a call over her radio about a possible 9-32 in progress at the corner of Platte and Circle. Jade groaned and responded that she was in the area and would respond. Rounding the corner, she found the flasher detained by another off-duty officer. Obviously, she had never seen this man, so she had suspected illegal use of handcuffs by civilian. Approaching, she parked her car with the lights on next to the man who was currently covered in a trench coat and a spare blanket the man had had in his truck. She waltzed up and shook her head. "Eddie, I swear. Go get therapy! I am really tired of seeing you prancing around in your B-day suit and trust me, honey, there ain't much to see." He looked at her with the face of a sever-year-old when they know they've done something wrong, "But Miss Hart, I love you." "I know you do, but this is definitely not the way to show it. Let's get you in the car." She looked towards the man who had apprehended the suspect and nearly became dizzy with surprise. It was Lu Bu. It was his copy. No! It WAS Lu Bu! He had the same eyes, lips, and his best feature. His smell clung to the midnight air with a vengeance. He gave a small smile and presented himself, "Hi. I am Officer Brandon Lei of the district up north. I was in the neighborhood and knew this guy wasn't being legal."

Jade couldn't say anything but smile and nod a bit. Finally, after he began to look at her in the strangest way, she coughed out an answer. "Oh! Um okay, thanks! I…I know this guy. He's my most common regular…" "BUT I LOVE YOU, OFFICIMER!" She closed her eyes and smiled at him from the street corner, watching him knock on the window, holding up his hands with the shinny new bracelets clinging to them. She couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "That's Eddie…So, could I get you some coffee? Just a thanks." Officer Lei nodded and smiled, "I wouldn't mind."

Officer Brandon Lei…Switched around, his name would be Lei Brandon. Wouldn't that have the same initials as Lu Bu? Maybe Jade had ESP – maybe not?

This has been a Hart felt connection in collaboration with Ana and Hid productions. This presentation has been brought to you by Ooni An Co Inc. and celebrated by romantics-in-love-with-cheesy-movies everywhere.

Anahid Hartoonian

Created Monday, September 6, 2004

Finished Thursday, January 13, 2005


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